A sample of anonymous student comments on SOC 372, Good and Evil in Social Relations, taught by Kenneth Westhues in Fall 2010, at the University of Waterloo

Really enjoyed Professor Westhues. He was wonderful to the students, brought them to a great level of thinking. I really enjoyed this course.

Excellent. Mr. Westhues has outlined an environment in this class that provides us with an optimal learning experience, and it is clear how much hard work he is putting into it. Some of the readings were a little dry, but class presentations help make them come to life.

Great opportunity for class discussion. Not much formal learning. I feel as though I have not learned much regularly.

Great course. I’d definitely take another Westhues course.

The very fair method of testing relieves anxiety and stress and also gives students the opportunity to understand the material well ahead of time. The professor makes the course useful and meaningful.

The course is so open-ended, there is a huge opportunity for the class to work with the instructor to comprehend course material -- something you don`t get in other courses. One of the most enjoyable classes I`ve ever taken.

Strengths: Everything. Weaknesses: None. Overall view: I loved it.

Keep on offering this course!

Interesting, very insightful, brilliant. We learned a lot.

One of the best, if not the best, course and professor I have ever had.

Awesome, answered many of my personal questions.

Excellent course! Incredibly interesting lectures, very engaging.

Strength was openness: good discussions, excellent lectures, stories, and reading material. Highly recommended and stimulating.

I really enjoyed this course, although I did not participate in the many discussion periods each class, I learned a lot through listening to the varied opinions of others. I appreciate Mr. Westhues`approach to teaching, grading, and would recommend this course to anyone.

Very awesome. I learned so much. Thank you, Mr. Westhues.

Lovely. Strength was the format: discussion, discussion, discussion! Giving us questions helps us find answers.

Great! Extremely informal. This allows students to form their own opinions based on the buidance of Prof. Westhues rather than have opinions forced upon them.

I really enjoyed the course. Especially the prof. Wish we had heard more specifically from him.

Splendid!

Strength: the opportunity to have an open-ended discussion that promotes critical thinking.

Everyone should take it. Professor Westhues is an incredibly knowledgeable and inspiring educator.

Strengths: The prof. He is very engaging, creative, organized, and accessible.

I loved this course and I learned a lot from it.

Good course, very interesting. Professor very willing to listen to everyone`s point of view.

Great prof -- very approachable, very fair.

Excellent, one of my favorites in university. Strength was talking about sensitive subjects that other courses tend to avoid. Weakness was some disorganization.

When the prof did teach, he talked about really interesting stuff.

Driving at the hard questions of life has made this course well worthwhile.